Cadets in Russellville’s Citizens Police Academy (CPA) were faced with the dilemma Tuesday night that many RPD officers face every day — what is reasonable force?

The class was led by Det. Sgt. Glenn Daniel Jr. and Lt. Jarrod “J.J.” Smith, certified instructors in use of force/defensive tactics and train RPD officers, both new hires and more seasoned officers.

Aside from teaching the CPA about several techniques for use of force, they also taught the class about legal cases which helped to define the laws regarding reasonable force — what it is and when to use it. That word “reasonable” appeared multiple times in every definition and code.

Does an officer need to wait until an offender attacks to use reasonable force? No. Does more force exerted by an officer now equal less force later and possibly less injuries? Yes.

Daniel said stopping a situation from escalating means less injury for the offender, but it also means the officer must be confident in his or her abilities to control the situation from the onset.

Daniel and Smith said aside from teaching use of force techniques, they also train officers to watch body language, maintain appropriate distance and how to accelerate and decelerate the use of force.

Once an officer accelerates the use of force, he or she must recognize when the offender complies and cease using force, which can be difficult for an untrained officer.

Maintaining control of the situation, including continually giving voice commands to an offender while exerting use of force is crucial. Daniel said the offender must know what behavior the officer expects in order to comply.

The class viewed training videos of Daniel and Smith instructing several RPD officers. Smith was dressed in extra padding and played the role of an offender refusing arrest, while Daniel coached the officers during the training exercise.

From the video, it was apparent that continually giving voice commands while trying to physically restrain an offender was difficult.

Daniel said the two most effective weapons in an officer’s arsenal are mind and mouth.

He said seasoned officers know how to access a situation and many times talk an offender into submission.

On the other hand, Daniel said the mind and mouth can also be used against an officer, particularly one who is inexperienced.

Presence — a clean, neatly pressed uniform and posture — can also help contain a situation before it gets out of hand. Daniel said it conveys pride and respect and often times offenders start a fight just because they think they can “take” an officer.

Daniel and Smith said RPD officers must make a 100 percent on the use of force/defensive tactics written exam, qualify in every arsenal on their tool belts and successfully subdue an offender, aka Smith or Daniel.

The cadets were also treated to a video of several RPD officers being stunned by a Taser. The video was set to AC/DC “Thunderstruck” and kept the class laughing.

Each officer present said being stunned was almost an indescribable feeling, one they would never want to feel again. They said offenders who have been stunned agreed.

One video recorded from an RPD officer’s electronic stun device showed how it can be used to save lives. A suicidal female was holding a knife to her stomach and an officer (while he partner had a gun pointed at her, just in case) waited until the female could safely fall backward, stunned the female before she could lock herself in the bathroom.

Daniel and Smith officers’ knowledge of when and how to use reasonable force can mean the difference between a positive or negative outcome.

While you are getting x-rays, don't forget to check to see if any of the officers where injured during this altercation, that would not have happened if the person had acted appropriately.

I am a former Police Officer. I spent over 13 years "Serving and Protecting".

If you have not participated in the Citizens Police Academy, I encourage you to do so. I think you might gain some insight on the situations that officers have to deal with. Or better yet, get hired as a Police Officer, go spend 12 - 16 weeks in the real Police Academy, come back, spend the next 3 - 6 months getting trained some more then walk a mile in their boots.

As for your comment on " how to testify in a criminal court setting so as to guarantee a conviction". The only thing guaranteed is that someone like you will question the officers decision they made in a split second, after you have gotten all of the information and mis-information you can and then taken days, weeks or years to make yours.

It takes much more than a split second to beat a man to his death while he is lying on the concrete.

So answer a question for us, Mr. x. Are officers not given training on how to testify in court? Is anything I have said inaccurate?

And for you JayEm, are you the county officer that got drunk and pulled a weapon in a bar on front street?

I am going to repeat it. I know some of the finest and most conscientious officers that exist. They see their job as a position of public trust and they treat it as such. I also know officers that shouldn't have a badge. They use their authority to intimidate and demean. They have no problem fabricating intent and evidence and lying to the court. The good officers know who these bad ones are, and they should take steps to get rid of them.

Your are correct. Officers are given training on how to testify in court, to make sure what they are testifying to is not mis-construed and turned around and used against them, not to "guarantee a conviction".

And yes, you are inaccurate, I don't believe there were "five officers" as you have stated earlier. But, I am not positive as I was not involved with or witnessed that action. Were you?

I was the type of Officer that people still contact and ask for help, even though I have not been involved with Law Enforcement for several years.

You made a very valid point by saying that you "can't understand the perspective of the constant contact with stressful situations". Trust me, I know, or you would be "Serving and Protecting".

"it takes much more than a split second to beat a man to his death..." is a statement made only out of ignorance by someone who has never actually beaten a man to his death, or taken the life of another during wartime. human life is fragile, and taken easily. fights to the death are won and lost in tenths, hundredths of seconds. do not speak of what you do not understand. Semper Fidelis, "Chester."

Let's make sure that the five guys that stomped and beat Riley to death are the Program instructors. You might also have them teach 'how to initiate a search when no evidence exists', or 'how to passively cause a suspect to waive their miranda rights without their knowledge'.

I am eagerly awaiting the section on 'how to testify effectively in a criminal court setting so as to guarantee a conviction'.

Don't misunderstand, I have very good friends that are officers and I have a great deal of respect for them. It is those officers that are criminals that I despise. And it is too easy to go to the dark side.

There are also good people, and there are bad ones. The things that happened in that case, all around, we're terrible. Absolutely terrible. Anything, regardless of circumstance, that results in the death of any person is a tragedy. But you don't have any new information on anything. That was years ago, literally years ago. And it goes beyond just the prosecutor, to whom you keep referring. There were state and federal probes of the investigation that not only didn't produce any evidence worthy of pursuing criminal charges of the involved officers, by didn't even produce grounds to terminate them. You'll debate that, but they're still employed so I'd save your energy. So, if that's what state and federal officials determined, people who do for a living what you're trying to do as a private citizen on your own, what makes you think that you can somehow have this case re opened and these officers terminated or charged (which I suspect is what you'd most want)? It seems you're reaching to create a conspiracy theory that doesn't exist, except in your mind. By the way, might want to check the clock on your statute of limitations....tick tock tick tock. Might already be expired depending on what charges you're reaching to hang them on. Is all the time you're spending on Ecourier trashing cops contributing to your "investigation?"

The manner in which we post on this page does give us a reasonable expectation of privacy. This allows all, even current public officials, to post their opinions without compromising their identity. I would leave a contact number if that didn't compromise my privacy. I very definitely have documents which show direct violations of law by enforcement officials. And, there was never any proceeding discrediting any of the witnesses in the federal filing that I have.

Do you honestly believe that just because there was no indictment brought by the local prosecutor that there was no crime? You are jerkin my string, friend. I was born at night, but it wasn't LAST night. Yes, I am acquainted with an officer that was there that night. And I very definitely am doing something to try and rid us of officers that should not hold positions of public trust. whether you believe it or not, they are in the pope county jurisdiction.

And the officer that pulled a gun while drunk...

His initials were j m. His dad was there when it happened. there are very good officers in pope county, and those officers are not afraid to speak to people they know can be trusted. They also aren't afraid to retrieve documents for someone who is trying to do something about it. I was helped with one of these matters by Mcmillen. I was chasing documents in the wrong agency and he gave me direct instruction on which agency had the documents I was seeking.

There are good officers, and there are officers that are outright criminals. And the good ones know who the bad ones are.

Are you referring to the witness statements submitted by the Waffle House patrons that were later deemed to be unusable in prosecutorial proceedings, due to the admittance bu the patrons themselves that they had been at the North Forty Club drinking alcohol for an extended period of time prior to going to the restaurant, and later completing their statements...all of whom had varying levels of sobriety? Those witness statements? This is all public record...did you really not know they were discredited criminally? I know, I know...you're going to say "well, they were held liable in civil court." True. But if you're familiar enough with judicial proceedings, then I don't need to explain to you that the burden of proof in a civil vs criminal case varies greatly. And if the family accepted a settlement out of court, that's indicative that they weren't 100% confident even in the outcome of a civil trial. Also, the accusations you made against my identity are false. I'm not a former cop, nor have I ever pulled a gun on anyone anywhere, except during war. I do, however, have a working familiarity with the judicial system, Attorneys, the government on federal, state, and local levels, and courtroom procedures. To answer your other question: nobody is incorruptible. Again, I'm dismissing your claims of currently being in the process of coming forward with what you called corruption locally as nonsense until there is proof otherwise. But, go ahead and write another paragraph rebutting that statement. Heck, it gives you another opportunity to use the word "malfeasance," since it seems to be one of your favorites. You also still haven't made it clear what your objective is here, other than to gain attention for yourself.

I would be happy to get you a copy of the federal filing so that you can read them for yourself. These people were standing in the window of the waffle house watching exactly what happened. I have made some preliminary attempts to get the x-rays so that the public can see for themselves.

Co you actually believe that our current prosecutor would actually indict ANY police officer for ANYTHING?

I don't.

You should look up the word 'sycophant'. I don't have a problem with it.

"while offering zero specification as to what you're referring, or any feasible, supportive evidence whatsoever, to prove the misconduct you're claiming to have a familiar knowledge of." Wrong. I have direct evidence of malfeasance and what I believe to be corruption in this area, and as I read the law, it proves direct violations of state statutes by public officials.

" If you honestly have REAL information about any police corruption, why are you withholding it and not doing anything about it?" Once again, you are wrong. I am absolutely doing something about it. If you knew me, you would know that is true.

You appear to be one of those people that believe that law enforcement is incorruptible. I can prove that is not true.

Here is my question for you. If an enforcement officer steals, embezzles, is a trafficker, assaults, or murders, should he be held to the same standard as the public or should there be special dispensation under the law?

The responsible, ethical officers out there would agree that they should.

What I'm objecting to is your willingness to make broad, general accusations of criminal activity among a department of public servants, while offering zero specification as to what you're referring, or any feasible, supportive evidence whatsoever, to prove the misconduct you're claiming to have a familiar knowledge of. You seem to keep referencing Mr. Riley, were you there to witness that incident? And if you were an official witness, do you realize it's inappropriate to speak about the case on social medial? Not to mention, disprespectful to the decedent to use his story in such a way just to give yourself leverage to argue about a newspaper article? Again, what I object to are your broad generalizations. MORE information; I mean, you seem so well informed. If you honestly have REAL information about any police corruption, why are you withholding it and not doing anything about it? And if it's the actual performance of the police you're dissatisfied with, why don't you go show them how it's done. Otherwise, all you're doing is getting on here and saying "I know what you're doing, and it's wrong. I also know how to fix it, and have the ability to do so myself, but I'm not going to." Which is asinine and pointless. My personal suspicion, citing the fact (or EVIDENCE) that it appears as though you comment on a wide variety of articles more than any other user on this website, is that you A. Enjoy starting conflict and have no real objective at all, or B. You want attention. And I'm not going to provide you with any more. Have a good evening.

To the FINE men and women of RPD, I'm very sorry. I'm sorry that ignorance sometimes overcomes reason in our society, and that you are persecuted by things you most often have no part of, and I am sickened that this unfortunate truth, these accusatory utterances, are most often by the very people you're charged to respect. And, you serve, anyway. That is the substance of heroes. Thank you, RPD. For your continual service. For your selfless sacrifice, and the sacrifices of your own families because of your service. Thank you, and God Bless all of you.

I know an officer that was directly involved in a situation that resulted in almost every officer in his precinct being indicted for drug trafficking.

I know an officer that was bringing a prisoner to his home from the county jail to cook amphetamine for him. The offender was on his fifth charge of manufacturing. I called the county sheriff and told him that I had already called the Jackson office of the fbi and would drive down there and bring them back if I heard of this again.

I have a real chip on my shoulder for public malfeasance. Don't hold it against me.

It would take someone very naive indeed, to think that all officers and public officials were malfeasance or corrupt, or that all were not. I have seen the very best, and I have had direct contact with some of the worst.

To call someones death by beating simply an "unfortunate tragedy" is to totally minimize the criminal nature of ANY assault, much less one involving those who have taken an oath to uphold the constitution.

I completely realize that I cant understand the perspective that can be developed from constant contact with stressful situations. I would assume it to be like some kind of post traumatic stress situation.

I think that what you are actually objecting to is my response in the context of this story. Do you see this story as a tool to educate the public, or do you see it as an effort to effect the public's perception of law enforcement? My enforcement friends don't have any trouble talking frankly with me about those situations and people who violate the public trust.

I will have to say that it appears that I have seen less of it in this jurisdiction, but it is very definitely here. Some law enforcement officials in this county think they are above the law, and for all practical purposes, they are.

I wish some of my friends would get on the page and tell of some things they know that are occurring NOW.

The death of Mr. Riley remains an unfortunate tragedy. But if I'm not incorrect, I believe that's been over 5 years and a settled lawsuit ago. Do you honestly believe the landscape of the department has changed NONE since then?

"Don't misunderstand, I have very good friends that are officers..." If you speak this way to them about their work associates and friends, men and women to whom they entrust their own lives in the line of duty, then you have a skewed concept of friendship, and you likely aren't nearly as close as you'd like to think.

Also, do you think all of our fine officers are criminals, or just some of them? And since you took the time to so meticulously think out and post such a negative comment about the "criminals," if there are any law abiding cops, do you have anything GOOD to say about them?

To the fine men and women of RPD, I'm very sorry. I'm sorry that ignorance sometimes overcomes reason in our society, and that you are persecuted by things you most often have no part of, and I am sickened that this unfortunate truth, these accusatory utterances, are most often by the very people you're charged to respect. And, you serve, anyway. That is the substance of heroes. Thank you, RPD. For your continual service. For your selfless sacrifice, and the sacrifices of your own families because of your service. Thank you, and God Bless all of you.